Dragons plight
by DeidreAngel
Summary: Rangers Halt and Will, along with their friend Horace go on an adventure with the Doctor. They find a new world with Dragons. they must help young Luke to fulfill his destiny and regain a lost kingdom.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter one Part one: The Rider

A lone figure sat astride a Siberian Tiger. Yet, this was no ordinary tiger. It was almost the size of a horse, with one gold eye, and one blue, and black and white stripes instead of the typical black and orange. It stood still while a cold wind made the figure's cloak billow, revealing the form of a young woman. A few wisps of brown hair escaped her cloak's hood. She sniffed the air.

"Come Raja," she said. "We must leave now if we wish to escape the storm."

The tiger let out a slow breath then moved forward. First at a walk, then at a run.


	2. Chapter 1-2

Chapter one part two: Luke

"Luke, the cattle aren't going to milk themselves!" A middle aged woman called from the door of a cottage.

"But mum, the castle is in danger! And the fair maiden awaits her rescue!" The young man named Luke was in the middle of pretending he was taking over the castle and rescuing the fair Cecilia from the foul Westlanders. In his mind's eye, he was up against a fierce foe. He could almost smell the rancid breath of the Westlander he now faced. The armor was quite intimidating. It glistened red, like blood. The fair Cecilia huddled against a wall, her golden hair in braids down her back. Luke shook a wooden rake in his mother's direction. His mop of chocolate colored hair tickled his nose. He fought the urge to sneeze.

"Your maiden can wait. The cows can't." Luke's mother was stern. It was with a defeated air that Luke went to do his mother's bidding.

The barn was plain, with three stalls. One for the old plow horse, and the other two for the cows. Luke moved to a wall where a pail hung on a nail. Having gathered the pail he moved to the other side of the barn for a three legged stool. As he set the stool down next to one of the cows he noticed it wobbled a bit. Sighing, he made a mental note to fix it later.

"Well Brunhilda, are you ready?" He asked. The cow turned her head and looked at him then went back to her meal. He sat down and placed the pail under her udders. Luke placed his hands and started to milk the cow.

"Why did I have to be born a commoner? This life is so dull, I want adventure. To be a Knight and battle for glory!" He pulled a little too hard and Brunhilda let out a startled bellow. She shuffled uncomfortably and attempted to kick the bucket.

"Sorry girl, I guess I got carried away. But is a bit of adventure too much to ask for?" He had forgotten to hold his elbow out to keep her from kicking.

A young girl's shriek came from outside the barn. Luke jumped. "No! No, you can't do that! Let her go!" He heard his mother scream. The young girl was crying. It sounded familiar to him. He slowly got up and moved to the door.

"Orders from the regent ma'am. I can, and I will." A gruff Masculine voice said. "All young women in this area are to go to the castle." Fear struck Luke. He saw a girl, but couldn't quite make out her face. Yet, she looked familiar. He hoped it wasn't her. She Kicked and screamed as her kidnapper mounted his steed. It didn't seem to deter him much. His mother sank to the ground ridden with grief, as the man pointed his horse east and took off at a gallop.

"Mother! What is wrong?"Luke rushed to his mother's side. He sounded alarmed. "What happened?"

"Sarah!" She sobbed, "Your sister is gone." Anger filled Luke from head to toe. Here he was a little while ago fighting a fierce Westlander, and all he did (could do) now was watch as a Kingsman took his little sister away from him. He felt useless.

"What do we do?" He asked. Tears fought their way down his cheeks while his mother cried freely. Already the resolve to go find his sister was building in his chest.

"There isn't anything we can do, son. We had peace for so long, now that there is no King the Regent has taken over." She raised her fists in the direction her daughter was taken. "That tirant! Damn you to Hell!" Luke's mother crumpled like a sack of potatoes.


	3. Chapter 1-3

Chapter one part three: Enter the Doctor

Spring was well on its way when Halt, Will, and Horace made their way back to Redmont Fief. They had been quiet for some time when Horace's stomach rumbled. Embarrassed, he looked to Halt to see his reaction. Halt suppressed a grin, the corners of his lips twitching. "I suppose you want to stop at an inn and fill that stomach of yours," Halt said mildly.

"Can we?" Horace asked, his voice filled with hope. "I mean, if it's not too much trouble."

"It's only been a few hours since we last ate." Halt's eyes twinkled. Abelard seemed to shake his head in agreement. Will sagely nodded. His horse, Tug, wickered.

"Will, you're hungry too, aren't you?" Horace asked. He glanced at Will, who kept a straight face.

"I might be a bit peckish, but we are miles from anywhere. I don't see how we will be anywhere near an inn for at least an hour." Will gestured to show nothing but trees to his left, and empty plains to his right. Tug nodded his head as if in agreement.

"Well you are a Ranger aren't you?" Horace said. He urged his horse, Kicker, forward trying to take the lead so he could look back at the rangers.

"Your point is…." Halt interjected appearing to be relaxed. Abelard rose to the challenge and easily caught up with Kicker. Will sighed and held Tug back.

"You are a good shot with that bow, maybe you could…" Horace stopped, and Kicker's step faltered for a moment.

Halt had cut him off by putting a finger to his lips. His back straight. He cocked his head and listened. A very faint whirring sound slowly got louder. Abelard started shuffling. Tug reared on his hind legs, nearly throwing Will.

"Look!" Will pointed to his right, calming Tug. A blue box with the words "Police Public Call Box" materialized out of thin air. "What on earth is that!?" He had a bit of trouble reading the words. They were not written in a fashion he was familiar with.

Halt had no idea what was happening. He knew there was no such thing as witchcraft, but there was no way he could explain what was going on. Maybe it appeared when a reflective surface was removed. But he had seen no evidence of such a thing happening. He walked Abelard around the box to examine it. There were no tracks to show it had been placed there. It had indeed just appeared. What he wanted to know was how, and why.

Horace looked to Halt and Will. He watched while Halt moved his horse around the perimeter of the box. If that is what it was. Will watched Halt, who nodded. The two of them dismounted while Horace stayed where he was. Will walked toward the box and knocked on a part that had what looked like a handle. It seemed to be made out of wood, but sounded hollow. He raised both eyebrows.

"It's hollow Halt." Will remarked. Halt stroked his scraggly beard. Halt and Horace moved to where Will was knocking.

The box opened and an old man with angry eyebrows walked out. "Where did you take me this time?" He demanded, "And who's knocking on my door?" Looking around the strange man saw three onlookers a few feet from him.

"Move and you're dead." The older of the three watchers said. He had nocked an arrow and held his bow steady. His tone left no room for negotiations. Halt had no idea who this man was, nor was he taking chances. It didn't help that this man came out of the box they were just examining. It unnerved him. It was a small box at that, reminding him of a privy.

"Oh, ah, yes...pointy things. Wonderful." The strange man eyed them up and down, then looked up at the one who spoke, his hands raised. "And who might you be? And maybe you could show me those strange cloaks of yours. They are rather fascinating." He looked at the mottled green-gray cloaks that gave the men camouflage. If they were in the trees, he'd have a hard time seeing them.

"That is none of your concern," came the reply. It was the younger cloaked one who spoke this time. He cocked his head. This accent was foreign to him. It was hard to understand it. The strange man seemed a bit more interested in him than was desirable, his angry eyebrows raised. His bow also raised.

"You, however, will tell us who you are. And what you are doing here." There was no question in the Ranger's voice. It was the first one who had spoken.

The angry eyebrowed man smiled. A mischievous gleam in his eye. "I'm the Doctor, and I thought I'd go on an adventure."


	4. Chapter 2-1

Chapter two part one: The apprentice

The inn they were in seemed so quiet in the early hours of the day. But then, it helped that there hardly anyone was there. There were only seven tables in the dining hall. There were four rickety chairs to each one. Deidre Angel sat at one table. Her tiger Raja`Ram lay by her side. She nursed a tankard of warm milk.

A young woman was preparing the dining hall for the day. There were others, but they were in the kitchen, cooking breakfast. As the youth cleaned, she couldn't help but notice the peculiar woman at the corner table. Her skin was tinted a bluish color, and her ears were slightly pointed. She didn't dress in the typical way either. Rather than wearing a dress she wore a sleeveless tunic and trousers. A cloak was placed on the back of the chair. The youth had heard rumors about a strange woman with a large tiger traveling from town to town looking for youths to train as Dragon Riders.

"Are you Deidre the Dragon Trainer?" The youth asked her. Deidre motioned her to sit.

"Indeed. You want to be a Dragon Rider right?" Deidre cocked her head. The youth nodded her head as she sat across from Deidre. Raja'Ram sat on his haunches. Deidre chuckled when the youth shied away.

"What is your name, child?" Deidre's voice was kinder than the youth expected. She'd heard that Deidre was a fierce warrior and her well toned muscles told the her this was true.

"M-my name is Lilian, ma'am." She said. Now that she was actually talking, she was a little nervous.

"Well, Lilian, what makes you think you can be a Dragon Rider?" Deidre asked.

The young woman pondered the question for a few moments before answering. A lock of her golden-blond hair falling in her face. Absentmindedly, she pushed it behind her ear. "I want to make a positive influence on those around me. To show others there is a better path." She looked Deidre in the eyes, and studied them. They were purple with flecks of gold. Their almond shape was rather unusual as well. It was as if she were looking at the universe itself. They were so deep and understanding. She got sucked into a vast world beyond her comprehension and forgot to breath.

"You can do that without being a Dragon Rider." Deidre responded, breaking eye contact to take a swig of her milk. The young girl took several deep breaths. Many who looked into Deidre's eyes had that reaction. The tiger chuffed and set his head down on his paws.

"Dragon Riders have more respect than normal common folk. People might be more willing to listen to a Dragon Rider than, well, me." Lilian said. "I'm just a maid."

"I get the feeling it is more than just that." Deidre folded her arms. A smirk teasing the corners of her bowlike lips. _This girls has potential,_ she thought. _She is is lean, and well muscled. A dragon would have no trouble carrying her. However, she gets a bit excited. She'll learn though._

"Oh, yes!" Lillian stood up and clapped her hands together. "I want to experience new worlds! To feel the wind in my face, to have adventures!" She started to fence with an invisible sword and Deidre dodged an unintentional blow. "Sorry…" Ashamed, she sat back down and hung her head.

"Well, training to be a Rider is not easy. There will be times you want to quit. But the rewards are worth it. Are you willing to put the hard work and effort into becoming a Dragon Rider?"

"Oh, yes! Mistress Deidre, I will work very hard!" Lillian exclaimed. "I won't let you down!"

Deidre stood and headed to the door. She left a large tip for the milk. "Come Raja." She turned her head to the young woman. "Starting today, you are a Dragon Apprentice, on probation of course. Meet me by the small stream tonight after you have finished your duties." With that, Deidre was gone.


	5. Chapter 2-2

Tug smelled something. It smelled better than an apple. The smell was coming from the inside of the funny blue box. Will, Halt, and Horace had been conversing with the man called the Doctor. He was explaining what he was doing there and what the box could do. Tug started walking towards the open door of the blue box. Abelard sighed, then followed Tug to the open doors.

Halt looked up from the Doctor's explanation to see his and Will's horse about to walk through blue doors. He used a command known only to Ranger Horses to stop them. Both horses stopped and looked at their masters. Halt's nose twitched while he stared his horse down. It was something his wife, Pauline, had noticed he did when he spoke to his horse. _Where are you going?_ He asked his horse.

 _I'm keeping an eye on Tug, though there is a wonderful smell coming from inside._ Abelard seemed to say.

Both Halts eyebrows shot up. Will was having a similar conversation with his horse. _I don't think you can fit in there,_ he pointed out.

 _You won't know unless you try,_ Tug responded. Will conceded this point, but but still thought Tug to big to fit inside comfortably. The Doctor had been watching with some interest. He noticed Halts nose twitch and Will's frown.

"My horse seems to think there is something inside this blue box you call the TARDIS." Will explained apologetically. He shook his head.

The Doctor shrugged. "He is welcome to go inside if he wants. There might be a bushel of apples around somewhere." The Doctor, of course, knew that all three of the horses could fit inside quite comfortably with room to spare. It could prove interesting to have horses in the TARDIS. He did have a fancy for animals.

Halt rolled his eyes. His thought process was similar to Will's. He was having a hard time seeing how the horses could fit in the box. Tug and Abelard, having received the okay from their riders, went inside.

Will's jaw dropped as they both disappeared. He circled the TARDIS a few times, seeing that the horses didn't reappear out the back. They were nowhere to be seen.

Tug and Abelard had found a small bucket of Red Envy apples and were munching on them in full bliss. Abelard sighed. Kicker had been reluctant to come in, but followed his friends after they disappeared and was glad for the apples.

Will decided he'd better make sure nothing had happened to his horse, or that his horse didn't do anything he shouldn't, so he followed him in. "It's bigger on the inside!" Will exclaimed as he entered the TARDIS. It was indeed bigger on the inside, and unlike anything he had ever seen before. Will was at a loss. He had no idea how to describe the realm he had just entered. His jaw had dropped when the horses entered, but this was a whole other kettle of fish.

"Yes, it is." The doctor replied. He was quite pleased with Will's reaction.

Halt whistled as he followed Will through the open door. He had watched as Will circled the box a few times after his horse went in, and noted the puzzled look on Will's face. The interior was not what he expected. He thought this was either a dream, or possibly a hallucination. "Gorlogs Beard! You say this is a ship?" He was still trying to fathom what he had just witnessed. As far as he knew, ships were things that sailed on water. And also made him sea sick. "Why isn't it in the water?"

"Yes, she is a ship, but she doesn't sail. She flies." The doctor said. He was a bit annoyed since they had gone through this once before.

"A ship that flies? Like a bird?" Halt stroked his beard. This was madness. And this man was likely insane.

"Yes, it flies. Not quite like a bird. Do you want to come with me or not?" The Doctor seemed impatient. He waved his hand in the air. He had a feeling he needed to be somewhere and that it had to be with someone. Or a group of someones.

"Why are we wanting to come with you again?" Horace asked. He had followed after Will and Halt. His stomach growled again. He tried to shush his stomach by putting a finger to his lips and looking at his abdomen.

"I'm still trying to figure out how this thing can fly." Will said. He shook his head after imagining the blue box sprouting wings and flying off through the trees. Somehow it didn't look right.

"Well, if you come with me you can find out. Also Clara is mad at me and didn't want to come." The doctor said, as if that explained everything.

"Who's Clara? And if we do decide to go with you, if, where would we go?" Halt asked. He was intrigued by this Clara person. The Doctor had seemed rather sad when he spoke of her.

"Never mind her, you're here!" The Doctor snapped his fingers and the TARDIS doors closed.

Horace had no idea what was going on. He usually left the thinking to the rangers. True he was in a situation that was not like anything he had ever experienced before, and wasn't quite sure he was awake. But Will, and Halt were with him, and he trusted them with his life. He took a good look around the room they were in. It was circular, and had a big thing in the middle. It looked like a table of sorts, with a, what he thought, was a chandelier hanging directly above it. Every once in awhile, he heard a chiming sound, almost like a gong.

"This is all nice and such, but do you have any food?" Horace asked the Doctor. He looked pointedly at his stomach as it growled yet again.

"Leave it to you, Horace, to think about food at a time like this." Will shook his head.

"Well, we were going to get something to eat before this guy showed up," Horace pointed out. "Besides, I haven't eaten since this morning. I'm a growing boy you know."

"Are you going to come or not?" The Doctor interjected. He seemed somewhat irritated. His angry gray eyebrows furrowed.

"Pauline is expecting us back, not to mention Crawley. We need to give the report of our last mission to him." Halt stroked his beard. "He is expecting us any time now." they had just gotten back from Arridi.

Will and Horace nodded their agreement. Will was also anxious to see Alyss again. He had deep feelings for her, but was too stubborn to admit it. "Besides," Will added, "We still have no idea where we would be going. Or why."

"This is a time machine, we can go anywhere and be back moments after we left. As to where and when we go, I'll let you choose." The Doctor stated.

Will had to admit the possibility of time travel piqued his interest. An idea struck him. If it could happen, maybe he could meet his father. He had always wanted to see his face and tell him how proud he was to be his son.

"How can we be sure this, machine as you call it, can travel through time?" Halt asked. He didn't like how smug the Doctor seemed.

"Name a time and place, I'll take you there. Then maybe you'll believe me," The Doctor responded. Halt had challenged him. He was ready to take on that challenge.

"My father," Will piped up. Everyone looked at him. "If you can take me to my father, I'll believe you."

Halt stroked his beard. He knew what Will's father looked like. There was no way the Doctor would be able to fool him. He would definitely believe him but was also a bit nervous about it. If time travel was real, it could change things as they knew them.


	6. Chapter 2-3

**Chapter two part three: Enter the Dragon**

Luke had been searching for his sister for many months now. The beginnings of a wiry beard grew on his young face. The trees were sparse. It was once a beautiful forest, but a fire had raged a few decades ago and little grew there now. A bitter cold wind blew; It cut into him like daggers of ice. His ragged cloak did little to shield him from it. The snows would be coming soon. He could tell it would be a bad winter. Silently, Luke pleaded to the Fates his mother would be alright without him.

He allowed his mind to wander, thinking of better days. When he and his younger sister would play by the creek that was close to his family home. Images played out in his mind and the surroundings disappeared. The laughter that ensued from an accidental plunge into the ice cold water made him smile. His sister's beautiful smiling face hovered before him. But that was gone now. Only sadness at his loss, and anger for her abduction remained. Before he could blink, he walked into something hard.

"Oww!" He exclaimed as he fell to the ground. There was a loud Chuffing sound, and a large head hovered mere centimeters from his face. He gazed into the eyes of a dragon. Its narrow face and sleek body moved gracefully as it examined him. _Hold still, hold completely still,_ he told himself. The scales as it moved shimmered blue, then silver. Luke thought he saw touches of gold in the center of each scale. A sharp gust of wind caused him to look up and see shimmering clear wings being tucked close to the dragons' sides. Awe filled him as he looked at the beautiful creature. He should have been afraid. He'd heard all sorts of stories. Some good, and some really bad. One of the stories was that Dragons have a tendency to eat people they don't like. But, for some reason he couldn't explain, he wasn't afraid. There was something about this dragon. A sense of familiarity.

 _I am Anethia. I have seen into your heart, and I deem you a good man with immense potential._ Luke Was shocked. There was a voice in his head, like a thought. But he knew it wasn't his own. He was unsure of how to respond.

"What? Who? How?" Lukes' mouth didn't want to work. The dragon made a garbling sound, Almost like a laugh.

 _Well, that leaves out when, why, and where, doesn't it?_ She chuckled. _What is your name, young one?_

"Uh, Luke." He managed to say. It hit him then, why this dragon seemed familiar. When he was pretending to be a hero, he'd sometimes imagined a fierce dragon by his side. The dragon in front of him very closely resembled the one in his play hero-ing.

"I know you," Luke stood up and examined her further. "You are the dragon from my dreams." He reached out a hand to touch her leg. The scales were cold and warm at the same time.

Anethia lowered her head and closed her eyes. She was certain of it. He was the one to bring back the peace.


	7. Chapter 3

Chapter three: Time travel

When the TARDIS landed Halt was a little more than sea sick. His pallor took on a whole new shade of Green. He rushed out the door just in time for his stomach to relieve him of it's contents.

"Never again!" He managed to grunt just before his stomach complained again. "How did we get talked into this?"

"The Doctor promised to take us to see Will's father." Horace said. Though he to felt a little queasy. Will had put himself in a fetal position and rocked gently. He wasn't sure if it was his body adjusting to the suddenness of the stop, or if it was an adrenalin rush. Probably both.

"Sorry, she doesn't normally fly like that." The Doctor's apology was genuine. It was also a true statement. The TARDIS traveled more harshly than normal, like she was trying to get somewhere but got caught in a tractor beam. To make matters worse, he had no idea where they were. It certainly wasn't earth. Or anywhere he'd ever been before.

"Uh, Doctor?" Halt called from outside. His voice was a little shaky. That snapped Will out of his current state of mind. Halts voice never shook, but he most certainly sounded that way. "You might want to see this."

Will, Horace and the doctor all came outside. They saw Halt pointing an arrow at a very large creature. Halts gaze never strayed from its head. It was watching them as well. Horace drew his sword. The creature eyed him with great interest. Will fumbled with his bow and arrows. He had never seen anything that resembled the beast he saw before him. The long horns coming from the top of it's head reminded him of the wind boar he and Halt had tracked some years before.

"What a magnificent creature!" the Doctor exclaimed. "And you want to shoot it with that bow of yours. I doubt you could injure it, but still!" he turned to Horace. "And you, put that pointy thing away, you'll poke someone's eye out. And you, the old one, put down your bow."

A young man came out from behind the creature while Horace debated if it would be wise to put his weapon away. The young man had a hardened stick about the length of long dagger. Horace noted he had no experience with any kind of weapons. First off he held the stick to tightly. Horace looked him up and down, and saw an awful battle stance. His sword was still in his hand.

"I don't think you'll do any damage to us with that stick. My two companions here are well trained in the use of a bow. You'd be dead before you could blink. And if you managed to get past them, I am prepared to face you." Horace had no intention of fighting, but if this lad wanted to he might not have a choice. The young man hesitated.

"Oh for pity's sake! We aren't going to hurt you. Just come nicely and put the stick down." The Doctor said. "Then we can have a nice talk."

"You sound like a Westlander. Why should I trust you?" The youth demanded. He jabbed his stick towards them.

"We are new to this land, we had not anticipated being accosted by whatever this creature is." Will interjected gesturing to the creature with an arrow. He gazed up at the shimmering blue-silver scales and long horned head. It was certainly very beautiful in a very dangerous way. Will decided He would probably be wise to put the arrow back in its quiver, and unstrung his bow.

"She's a dragon, and my traveling companion." The youth said. When he received blank stares He added. "Don't you know what dragons look like?"

"No actually we don't. I don't think any of us have ever seen a dragon before. Have you, Doctor?" Halt asked.

"No, I haven't, but he is beautiful." The Doctor approached the Dragon and ran his hand along its front leg. He nearly cut himself on the scales.

"He is a she and her name is Anethia. Or did you miss the "she's a Dragon" bit? And for your information I am Luke." The youth said. The Dragon snorted.

The doctor raised his eyebrows and uttered an apology.

 _Luke, these people are from a very different world. One where we Dragons don't exist. They don't know our world and its ways._ Anethia looked at the strange group and blinked.

"I'm not the only one hearing this, right?" Horace asked. He looked back and forth between Will, Halt and the Doctor. His eyes wide.

"I heard something." Will replied. "But I didn't hear it at the same time. It was like having a thought, but not my own." He scratched the base of his neck, holding back a shiver. It was unnerving to feel something that wasn't his thoughts in his head.

"I did as well." Halt said shaking his head. His bow was still in his hand, an arrow resting on the string, but it was no longer pointed at anyone. He wasn't sure if the voice was in his head or not. It seemed to emanate from everywhere and nowhere.

The doctor on the other hand was used to telepathic communication. It wasn't new to him.

"Remarkable!" the doctor exclaimed. "There aren't many creatures in the universe who can communicate telepathically. Oh, you are a beautiful thing!" He looked admiring at the Dragon.

 _Thank you sir. Though you know our names perhaps you could give us yours._ Anethia looked around and swept a clawed paw, pad up, in a circular motion.

Luke nodded his agreement then added, "also tell us where you hail." He awkwardly attempted to fold his arms forgetting the stick in his hand. Blushing, Luke put the stick though a loop attached to his trousers.


	8. Chapter 4-1

Chapter four: They all come together

Deidre and Lillian had been training for many months. The progress that Lillian, Lilly as she preferred, had made was quite remarkable. After she had gotten over her initial shyness, she made improvements by leaps and bounds. Deidre was definitely pleased with her charge as she now rivaled that of the other Dragon Rider Apprentices. In a few weeks time she would chose a baby Dragon to care for and bond with.

Lilly confidently strode by her master's side as they entered the small town of Gladner. Someone had asked for the aid of a Dragon Rider when an injured Dragon fell from the sky. It was a perfect opportunity for Deidre to test Lilly's skills in Dragon medicine.

Though the town was small, It bustled with people. A few peddlers wandered the dirt roads with various goods.

"Nice roasted taters! Get 'em while they're hot!" one said. "Pickled radishes for sale!" another hollered.

Deidre ignored them all and went straight for the town's one tavern. The owner was the one to talk to for Intel on where the injured Dragon was. Lilly had already known that if one was looking for something the first thing you do when you get to a new place go to a tavern, if they have one. Lilly had noticed that her master had known exactly where she was going, leading her to believe she had been here before.

A loud cheering could be heard from the inside of the building. It was only made louder when Deidre opened the door. There was a jugular playing a rather boisterous song that she had never heard before. As she entered, she noticed a bearded man in the far corner with a rather strange mottled green/gray cloak observing the audience. Lilly, three steps behind, knew her master was scanning the crowd and looked to where her gaze rested. She too, saw the strange man. By his side a young man ate what looked like mutton with gusto.

"Diedre! Come in! Mayhap I could convince yous to a drinking contest!" a jolly voice boomed. The man's round belly jiggled as he made his way through through crowded room. Lilly didn't like the way this pudgy man addressed her master. There was a familiarity there that seemed to close for comfort.

"Thank you, Chard, but no. I'm here about the dragon. Besides, you know I don't drink." Deidre said. The cloaked man's head snapped in her direction. She noticed. The last thing she had wanted was to cause a scene. It was better to take care of the matter discreetly. It wasn't because dragons were rare, though they were not as common as they had been, more because people didn't like to talk about them much. They were feared and respected, and some people liked to hunt dragons for sport. Then sell the scales, claws and teeth on the black market. A shiver ran down Deidre's spine at the thought.

The jugular had switched to a slower song and held his audience captive. None of them seemed to notice the exchange between the tavern keeper and Dragon Trainer. Many of them moved around to hear better and closed off the exit to the tavern in the process.

A young man fought the crowd and left the tavern. Lilly noticed a sword at his belt but dismissed him. There were many young men who carried them.

"Oh," Chard said. "Oh! Well I ain't the one to talk to about that. Find a lad named Luke. He was askin' 'bout a healer what knew of dragons and such. Word travels quickly 'round these parts. At least, through the right channels it does."

"Where might I find this Luke?" Deidre asked. She placed both hands on her hips while Lilly observed the exchange. Lilly had noticed the cloaked man seem to loose interest in the conversation held by Chard and Deidre. _Oh, he's good_ , she thought.

"There's an old abandoned barn to the east of the town, you might find him there. Or so I'm told." Chard looked meaningfully at Deidre. He had willingly given her information, so he thought it warranted some sort of reward.

"See the bearded cloaked man?" Deidre whispered to Lilly. Lilly strained a bit to hear her master over the jugular, then nodded. "Watch, him. He might follow us out. Be ready."

Deidre and Lilly fought their way through the crowd that covered the exit. As they left, Deidre noticed the cloaked man leave a few coins on the table and move from the table. She smiled. He wasn't going to get to her and Lilly that easily.


	9. Chapter 4-2

Halt And Horace had entered the only tavern of Gladner town a few minutes after Will. This was not the first time Will had posed as a jugular to obtain information. Horace found a table for him and Halt to sit and dine. He remembered that Halt liked to sit somewhere where he could see but be ignored. The tavern keeper of course never let much get past him and sent a server to their table.

"What would you fine fellas like to eat?" The server asked as sweetly as she could. Her stare was directed at Horace. He was quite handsome there was no denying it.

Halt grumbled. This happened at every place they had gone to. "I'll have stew if you have it" he said. "The boy will have have the same."

The serving girl nodded to Halt an winked at Horace. In a few minutes she had returned with two bowls of steaming stew and some biscuits. Horace gratefully began to scarf the meal.

Halt, as was his way, slowly consumed his meal so he could observe the crowd. He was waiting for someone to come through with information on dragons. It had been agreed by the group that after they had had a skirmish with whom they now knew were Westlanders that it would be good to seek out some help for the dragon. She had been injured protecting Luke, and none of them knew a thing about dragon anatomy, not even the Doctor. Though, they had decided that since he had the most experience with non human creatures that he would be the one to stay with her and help her stay comfortable until help could be found.

That was what Halt was waiting for now. Will had just begun to a song that was rather fast-paced. Halt was familiar with this one and fought to keep his head from bouncing in time with the music. A few of the customers in the tavern began to dance with tankards in hand. The crowd cheered.

It wasn't until the tavern keeper hollered out a name that he noticed a woman and a young girl enter the building.

"Deidre!" The tavern keeper boomed. Halt mentally kicked himself. He had been distracted and missed the woman enter. Halt pretended to turn his attention to his meal.

"Thank you Chard, but no. I'm here about the Dragon. Besides, you know I don't drink." Deidre responded. Halts head snapped up and he focused on Deidre.

Bingo. This was who they were looking for. Will looked to Halt and nodded. He hoped his master had seen and heard as well. It was time for a slow song.

Horace had finished his meal. He looked to Halt then moved towards the door. It was a bit of a struggle to get past the crowd and he had to push through a few people. One of the two watched him for a moment then shrugged her shoulders.

Halt left after the two girls, as they had discussed before entering the tavern. He followed the two figures through the street, pulling up his hood. They disappeared in a small mass of peddlers. Halt cursed under his breath and knelt down to look at some tracks.

Horace watched from a distance and caught sight of the girl from before. She was watching Halt from behind a stall. She was young, but he thought she carried herself like a warrior. It would be safer, he decided to hang back and keep an eye on her.

Deidre and Lilly had noticed the man follow them. Deidre smiled, _there is a secluded area where we could confront the man. How foolish of him to try following her._ He was good, but she was better. With a nod she signaled to Lilly who broke off and circled behind to follow the stranger. Bobbing and weaving, she threaded her way through the throng of peddlers hawking to unwitting customers. Part of her hoped he would be able to find her. If he was who she thought he was, he could be hunting for dragons. That, she decided, was not going to happen. She purposely knocked a man down to gain pursuers attention. A chicken squacked and escaped from a woman's grasp as the man who got knocked down fell, grasping at her dress.

Halt heard the squawk and smiled. He got up and followed the squawking. She was good. But he was better. There was a flash of color that moved between two old buildings. He quickened his pace, slipping quietly through the shadowed passage where he saw the color disappear. Wearily, he entered the old corral through the broken gate. No grass grew on the hard ground. This was once a holding paddock for horses to be sold, he noted. But no horses had been there for a long time.

"I'm impressed! You were able to follow us, stranger." Deidre''s voice seemed to echo from everywhere, and nowhere. As she stepped out of the shadows, she eyed the man. Her calculating gaze told her he was not young in years. He had a bow and quiver of arrows. Deidre smiled, an archer. Archers did not have skills in close combat. This was her specialty. She watched as he knocked and arrow with relative ease, and decided not to give him the chance to use it. Pulling her dagger, she flew towards him, launching her attack.

Halt was surprised at the speed his assailant had. He pulled out his sax knife and blocked a jab from her knife, barely managing to stay upright. She came at him again, and again he just barely managed to block. She was good, he had to admit. He could see her looking for an opening, with calculating eyes. He decided leave her a small break the balance. Deidre scoffed. This man was a decent fighter but he was getting sloppy.

"You're not bad with that thing." Halt grunted as she landed a blow with her free hand. His counter sent her flying, but she spun mid air and landed lightly on her feet. She could see him breathing knew he was reaching his limit.

"And you are better at hand to hand than I gave you credit for," came her response. "I saw you in the tavern, you seem interested in dragons. Why?" their knives locked in place.

"I could as you the same question," Halt said. With his other knife, he swiped his sax at her to gain some distance. He hoped Horace had found this place, he needed the backup.

The woman stepped back, and looked at him. Maybe her first assumptions about him were wrong. His eyes showed compassion and sadness, but there was a spark of something joyous as well. These were not the eyes of a cold blooded killer.

"I heard there was an injured dragon in these parts. As a rider is it my duty to help anyone I can. Dragon, or human." she said. Her breath had begun to be ragged as well and sweat dripped into her eyes.

At that moment Lilly chose to make her appearance. She threw a knife at Halt and Horace intercepted it, much to her surprise. Deidre smiled, relieved for the interruption.

"As always my dear you have done well. However, I do not think this man is our enemy." Deidre glanced towards Horace. "Your companion here was quite sneaky. Neither Lilly nor I saw him in the tavern."

"He left shortly after you arrived and waited outside." Halt put his hands on his knees while he caught his breath. "We had to make sure anyone who came after the Dragon wasn't going to hurt her further."

"How badly is she injured?" Lilly asked. Halt And Horace looked at each other, not sure how to respond.

"We're not familiar with Dragon anatomy, so we're not sure. But it looks really bad." Halt shook his head.

"And what did you do to injure it so badly?" Lilly asked. Her hands were clenched at her sides. She knew her master would ask her to look over the Dragon, but the looks on the faces of their companions had her worried.

"We, did nothing! We were ambushed by Westerners!" Horace exclaimed. He heard Deidre swear under breath. It was not a term he was familiar with. Halts eyebrows shot up. It was clear he knew the phrase and it's meaning.

"How many?" Deidre demanded. "How many Westlanders were there?" This was bad. The land was in all but war with the Westerners. They had ravaged the land and left many places desolate. It had only gotten worse when the royal family had been destroyed.

"There were at least fifty of them. Will and I took care of most of them but there was a knight with red armor who was young man with us did his best to protect her, but she was already wounded." Halt had experienced many battles. This one, however, was very different.

Deidre bit her lip. "Very well, take us to Dragon and we'll see what we can do. Your friend Here, Will, was it? He is fast." Deidre nodded her head in appreciation.

"Oh, he's not Will. His name is Horace." Halt grinned when Deidre's eyes widened.

Halt motioned for Deidre and Lilly to follow him, knowing that Horace would take the end. They made their way out of the corral and back into the busy street where they met up with Will.

"The crowd was rather sad to see go," Will grinned at Halt. He looked to Deidre and Lilly, eyeing them up and down. Both wore sleeveless tunics that showed well muscled arms. At Lilly's hip there was a short sword that reminded him of a rapier. The other had a pouch attached to her leg with some kunai in it. "And you two are. . .?" He asked.

"I'm Deidre and this is Lilly. We are here to help with your Dragon." she gestured to her companion.

Will nodded. He recognized them now as the two from earlier. He gestured for Halt to lead the way. They moved forward making their way towards the outskirts of the town. A few peddlers tried getting them to spend money on their wares. Halt ignored them and pushed through them to exit the town.


	10. Chapter 5

Chapter Five

The Doctor had been doing everything he could think of to make Anethia as comfortable as possible as she lay in the dim light of the abandoned barn. Dust particles could be seen where light filtered through holes in the roof. At least the dirt floor was cool if not a bit musty. Her scales had an unhealthy sheen to them, and lacked their usual luster. Pus oozed from underneath purpled bandages on her hind legs and tail. The slash on her stomach was too long them to use bandages so they had made due with some medicinal leaves.

After the ambush his group experienced, the Dragon was in bad shape. He knew that if they couldn't find a trained master in Dragon medicine she would die. He listened to her labored breathing and cringed with each ragged rise and fall of her chest and wished there was something he could do. The Doctor had never worked with a Dragon before, Sure there were Silurians, but they were very different. He also didn't think that Dinosaurs had the same anatomy.

 _You don't need to worry about me, Doctor._ Anethia said. _I'm sure the Rangers have found her, I am in good hands._

"I'm so sorry," The Doctors' angry eyebrows furrowed in shame. "I should have been more vigilant."

 _You couldn't help that Horace and Luke were undergoing a training session that turned into a brawl._ Anethia smiled, then winced. Her nostrils flared and blood seeped down her nose.

Will and Halt had gone hunting for food and came back just as the Westlanders attacked. Horace was protecting Luke who froze in fear. His face was stern but calm. He'd faced enemies like this on many occasions, and few of them held a candle to the Temujai he fought in Skandia. Soldiers fell to his right and he knew the Rangers had returned. Halt had barely blinked as he downed three Westlanders to Horace's left. Will's skill was as sharp as ever and soon only one soldier remained. His skill was far greater than those who came before him. In the heat of battle he somehow managed to get behind the little band of fighters and begin his assault on their back sides. Anethia leapt to action as if snapping out of a trance, saving them, but with great consequence. The Westlander in red armor's sword sliced through her scales like ribbons and just like that it was over. He was gone.

It was later that the little group had learned the significance of the sword held by their attacker. Several weeks had passed and Anthias' wounds stubbornly refused to heal, and she grew weaker with each passing day. Luke was beside himself with worry when it was decided to find the Dragon Mage. He'd heard stories in his travels about a woman who had magical abilities that could communicate with dragons in their native tongue. Maybe she could help with healing her. It was by luck that they found an abandoned barn big enough to hid her while they looked for the Dragon Mage.

"How is she?" Luke asked as he came through the squeaky doors. They creecked His venture into town had proven fruitful: his basket filled to overflowing with food. As he moved closer, he set the basket down and rubbed Anethia's pale scales. It was then that he noticed how cold she was. Tears filled Luke's eyes and he turned away from her, head down.

"She isn't getting better. She sleeps more often than not now." The Doctor's voice was slightly above a whisper as he placed a hand on the boys shoulder. "And most of the time it is fitfully. I don't think there is anything that can be done now." He ran his other hand across Anethia's folded wing. The membrane was so delicate he feared it would tear, but he knew how strong they were.

This dragon was old. The Doctor knew she had seen many lifetimes, and now she would no longer suffer in the same manner he did. All he could do was hope that the rangers came left back soon with help.

The barn doors squeaked. Both Luke and the Doctor looked up, startled. The rangers and Horace stepped through the precipice, cowles hiding their expressions. Two newcomers followed behind. Luke stood quickly. Neither looked to be older than their early twenties. He had to blink a few times as his eyes adjusted to the brighter light of the outdoors.

"Is this her?" Luke asked walking hesitantly to Lilly's side.

"My name is Lilly, and I'm only an apprentice. Deidre is the master." Lilly gestured to Deidre with a look of affection. She'd grown quite fond of her mentor and looked to her as a sister.

Deidre raised an eyebrow and Will noticed the resemblance of Halt in the expression. He let out a snort and turned his head, covering his mouth with a fist. The rest of the group looked at him in confusion. Horace noticed Will's shoulders shaking as he hid the laughter trying to escape. Halt pulled back his hood.

"And what, might I ask, is so funny?" The Doctor looked to each member of their party with angry brows furrowed in confusion. He remained close to the injured dragon and folded his arms across his chest.

"I was just noticing how Deidre and Halt share many striking similarities in their expressions." Will managed between chortles and giggles. Halt and Deirdre looked at each other, eyebrows raised in unison, which sent Will into a laughing fit that left him on the floor.

Anethia let out a strangled sigh, one that sent chills down Deidre's spine. In an instant she had moved from the barn door to the dragon's side. The movement sent dust into the air. Lilly moved with less speed, but as much grace as her mentor had. She could see the tears forming in her mentor's eyes, and looked the dragon over. What she saw rattled her to the bone. Bandages that oozed purple and green shone dimly in the limited light. Blood seeped out of the slash in Anethia's stomach and side. She watched as the dragon struggled to breath, a slight gurgle with each inhale.

Deidre knelt and put her forehead on Anethia's snout while tears freely fell. Halt and the others watched in somber silence, Will sitting on the floor. Luke had hoped beyond hope that they would get the Dragon Master, heal Anethia and be on their merry way, but judging from the reaction of Deidre that wasn't going to happen. He felt Anethia in his mind, trying to comfort him as his tears threatened to fall.

 _Don't you worry about me, Little One._ She smiled, then winced. _Go and rescue your sister._ Luke could not hold his tears any longer as he felt Anethia's Consciousness fade and disappear.

"There was nothing any of us could have done to save her." Lilly's hushed tones was an attempt to console her mentor, who had a deeper connection to Dragons than even she understood.

Horace wasn't really good a the feely stuff, so he awkwardly put his hand on Luke's shoulder as he hung his head and sobbed. Halt put his hand on Luke's other shoulder, also not really apt at the touchy feely stuff.

"I don't know what happened," Luke hiccuped. "I thought Dragon Skin was harder than Diamonds." Snot Dripped down his nose, and he made no attempts to remove it.

"Bane Sword." Lilly said watching her mentor shed silent tears. "Claíomh bána. It is a sword formed in fires using Dragon's Bane as fuel and fused into the metal. It is the only thing that can cut dragon skin. To my knowledge there are only two left. One belongs to the Blood Knight."

"And the other?" Will asked.

"The Dragon Sanctuary where the Royal Dragons reside. Safe." Deidre stood, a dangerous look passed over her face briefly. The Doctor noticed, but chose not to say anything just yet. He had been observing the exchanges and noted that Deidre too was older than she looked. Her eyes were old and sad, like his. Yet, there was something there: joy perhaps?

"We had a run in with some Westlanders who had a warrior in red armor. It seemed like a scouting party, we left non alive." Halt shook his head. "But when we gathered the bodies, there was no trace of the man in red armor."

"Lilly, prepare the supplies for Sochraide tine. Funeral Of Fire." Lilly nodded at Deidre's request and left the barn.

Sorry it's been a while since i last uploaded, things have been a bit hectic lately, my only hope is that i get a rest from the craziness that keeps happening to me.


	11. Chapter 6

Deirdre and Lilly sang a Haunting melody in Dragon Tongue whilst they burned the body of the Blue Dragon. The sun had begun to set as the flames died down, leaving leaving a silhouette in the trees beyond. Everyone one in the party stood in solemn silence as they said goodbye to a friend they had only known a short time. The fire reduced to embers as the melody the two Dragon Riders came to an end. Tears streamed down Luke's face; he'd grown fond of the dragon, and now she was gone. He didn't know how he would complete his mission without her.

The Doctor bowed his head, fists clenched in anger. He was angry at the man in red armor for hurting Anethia. He was angry at himself for not seeing the attack sooner. Most of all he was hurting. Death was not something The Doctor handled well, no matter who or what died.

Lilly Took a deep breath and knelt to the ground, one hand crossed her heart in a fist while the other balled on the ground. Her head bowed in reverence as Deidre walked into the ashes and pulled out an egg. It thrummed and began to grow. When it stopped, it was the size of a large Desert Hare. She cradled it as walked towards Luke. Halt, Will, and Horace had tried to stop her from walking into the embers, only to stare at her in shock.

"What is that?" Luke asked. He stared at Deidre in confusion.

"This is a Dragon Egg." Deidre explained. "She is now under your care." Deidre handed the egg to Luke, who held it awkwardly. The Doctor Moved to examine the egg, excitement building in his chest. Halt and Will cocked their heads with furrowed brows while Horace shuffled his feet anxiously.

Luke continued to look confused. "I don't understand. How did you go into the ashes and come out with that?" He lifted the egg up and examined it, amazed at how smooth the shell was. It was so blue it was almost transparent, and he swore he could see something moving inside.

"Oh, that's brilliant!" The Doctor exclaimed. He had never seen a reincarnation like this before. This dragon was like him, he thought, grinning from ear to ear.

"I still don't understand, what in the world is going on here?" Luke's question mirrored the look on Halt, Will, and horace's' faces. Halt stroked his scraggly beard.

"Anethia is from the Ancient Race. Much like a phoenix they are reborn from their ashes when they die, starting their life cycle over again." Lilly supplied.

The Doctor nodded. To a degree understood rebirth very well. He was after all on his twelfth incarnation. "What a marvelous creature!" He said with aw.

Halt had heard about phoenixes, but had never actually seen one. To him they were a myth. But with how things had been going the past couple of months, he found himself believing every word.

Horace nodded his head as if he understood, not completely sure about the situation. It made his head hurt to think about it. Pangs of hunger began to build in his stomach and he shifted uncomfortably. Will noticed and put a hand on his shoulder. _Soon,_ the gesture seemed to mean.

The egg thrummed again and started to pulse in time to Luke's heartbeat. It was an oddly comforting feeling for Luke: it was as if the egg were telling him everything would be okay. Then the fear of raising a baby dragon wormed its way into his chest. He had no idea what to do; what would it eat? He'd raised cattle before, but they didn't have wings or breath fire.

Deidre saw the look of doubt on Luke's face and smiled knowingly. "Don't worry young Dragon Trainer, raising a dragon is a glorious experience. You will gain a great many strengths, and awaken others. We will be with you as well, you are not alone."

"Okay," Luke was still not convinced, but the smiles from Lilly and Deidre gave him comfort.

The Doctor could not hide a grin as his fingers twitched, aching to examine the egg. Halt noticed and sent him a glare.

"What now?" Halt asked as the Doctor clenched his hands into fists tensed at his sides. Horace looked sheepish after a very audible growling came from his general direction. Deidre smiled.

"Food, sleep, and then we prepare for war." Deidre moved back towards the barn the group had been staying in. Lilly followed suit, with Horace and his growling tummy. Luke stood in shock, his brain trying to compute what Deidre had just said. Halt and Will knew war. They took part in a war in Skandia, as did Horace. The Doctor grimaced. He hated war, even when it was inevitable.

"War!?" Luke exclaimed. His numb fingers nearly lost their grip on the egg he was holding. He wanted no part in a war, all he wanted was to get his sister back.

"Yes, war. We will need to do a few things first, however, like get you an army." Deidre decided. "Yes, much to do. You, young Luke will need to learn to fight. I'm sure Halt can take care of that."

Will and Horace looked at Deidre expectantly. The Doctor was a bit hurt that he was not included, but he couldn't deny that he was relieved as well. Halt thought about taking on a new apprentice, and a wicked gleam entered his eye.

"We can teach as well," Horace muttered. "But before that, how long do we have to wait to eat?"

Sorry for the SUPER long wait guys! life kinda took over and i haven't had a lot of time to write lately. but i hope you can enjoy the new, albeit short, chapter!


	12. Chapter 7

Hey guys Super sorry!... I have been in the process of moving and seeing a few doctors for my migraines. I haven't forgotten about my story and am working on it. with that said, enjoy chapter seven

The clearing they were in was small, but spacious enough to allow for the seven travelers and their three horses to move around comfortably. Several tents had been set up around a fire pit where Deidre and Lilly filleted and seasoned the small elk caught by Will earlier that day. Deidre's' hands moved nimbly as her blade slid smoothly through the raw meat.

Halt leaned lazily on a log while Horace and Will took turns training Luke. Horace was up and barely breaking a sweat in their combat training, while Luke looked like he fell in a lake. Will used this time to make some arrows for Luke. His tongue lolled to one side of his mouth.

The Doctor had to admit the three teachers were very skilled in combat. He'd been watching for some time now and was impressed with their patience with the boy. Personally, the Doctor preferred not to use violence, but smiled when he fenced with Robin Hood. It helped that his weapon of choice was a spoon. There was no chance of serious injury, unless you considered one's pride. He was almost in awe at the Rangers skill with bow and Horace's grace with a sword. It was good they were the ones teaching Luke, He liked them.

In the few weeks it had been since starting his training, Luke made remarkable progress. Horace gave prompts in technique, while Deidre stoked the fire and placed a skillet on the small flames. She could hear the clanging of metal slow down as Luke tired. Finally, the mock blade was ripped from Luke's hand and Horace called for a break. Luke accepted gratefully and sank to the ground where he stood. He Still had no idea why he had to be the one to lead an army they had yet to gather. This adventure was not at all what he was expecting when he started out to save his sister from the Westlanders. Then again, he wasn't sure at all what it was he should have expected.

"It's time to gather more firewood," The Doctor thought aloud as he headed towards a copse of trees. Halt watched him go, glad he didn't have to. He would have muttered something about being to old for such a job, but stopped himself. He didn't know much about the Doctor, but got the feeling he was older than he let on.

A savory smell entered the camp as Deidre gently placed elk strips into the iron skillet above the campfire. She was pleased at how well her pupil had learned her herbs and spices, and saw how lovingly the spice was rubbed into the meat.

The meat sizzled and popped. Horace, Halt and Will moved closer to the fire in hopes of brewing a hot cup of coffee. Deidre had no idea what was so appealing about the stuff, but didn't complain as Will put a pot of water next to the skillet. He rubbed his hands in anticipation. Luke almost crawled to where the others sat waiting for a finished meal. His legs felt like jelly, and his arms like limp noodles.

In Luke's tent rested the egg in a leather bag. He had taken great care to keep it warm, and it was almost ready to hatch. A faint chirp like noise accompanied a small movement from inside its shell. The egg thrummed and started to glow. Luke was so invested in getting to the campfire it went unnoticed.

The Doctor, while he didn't express it, was worried about his TARDIS. She was unwilling to work for some reason or another. If she did, this whole affair would be a bit easier to handle. Not to mention he was getting old. That and the group was now several leagues from where she landed. His angry eyebrows furrowed as he bent over to pick up another branch. Yes, much easier indeed. None of them would have to be walking to wherever it was Deidre was taking them. He was unaccustomed to someone else taking the lead, as were Halt, and Will, or so it seemed. But he trusted that she knew where they were going, though he wasn't sure why.

These Musings had the Doctor distracted for a moment before he noticed he wasn't alone. Someone or something was out there. He didn't see it, but felt a presence hiding behind some trees. Much like the Rangers do, he pretended not to notice and kept gathering more firewood. He used caution in his movements to get back to the camp, keeping his senses open to the figure lurking in the woods. His two hearts started pounding as he came closer to the clearing where the rest of the group waited for their dinner. Nervous excitement slowly built in his veins.

Will looked up from his water pot just as he added ground coffee beans to the boiling liquid. The Doctor approached with several good sized branches in his arms and mouthed the words: _We are not alone, there is someone out there!_ Halt noticed Will tense and went full alert as well. His eyes shifted from side to side. None of the horses had made a sound, so whatever it was didn't pose a threat to them. At least, not currently. Abelard was crunching contentedly on some grass near the edge of the clearing, as Tug and Kicker dozed with warm sunlight on their backs.

The tension was almost palpable when Deidre burst into a fit of laughter. It was so sudden that everyone jumped, even Lilly. She looked at her mentor with a confused and slightly embarrassed look.

"Alula, you mischievous child! Don't scare my companions like that!" Deidre chuckled. Alula cocked her head as she revielded herself, covered in mud, to the group. An impish grin rested on her face. Everyone seemed to heave a sigh of relief at the same time.

"You know this scraggly little girl?" The Doctor asked. He towered over the little one, and noticed how slender her limbs were. It was hard to see Alula as a graceful girl when she was covered in dirt, but the Doctor knew there was something special about her by the look in her topaze eyes. He wasn't sure, but there was a wisdom in her that far exceeded her apparent age.

"Yes, she is the last in a long line of Dragon Seer's." Deidre explained. "She is a part of the reason we're headed this way." Luke had heard of Dragon Seers, it was said they could see into a person's soul and draw out parts of people's characters. Be it good or bad. There was also a legend that they could see parts of the future.

Lilly smiled with a mischievous glint in here eye at the young girl, who in turn smiled back. Flakes of dried mud fell off her face as she did so. Her hair was caked in so much dirt and mud that one couldn't tell she was blond.

"I knew you'd be coming soon, so I decided to wait for you." Alula said in a matter of fact. More flakes of dried mud loosed and fell away as she spoke. "Ra'ja misses you."

The Rangers exchanged glances and the Doctor shrugged his shoulders. He guessed more would be explained at a later time. Alula twirled, throwing mud practically everywhere.

Halt looked at the young girl and a memory came to the surface of his mind: Will was eight or nine at the time, about the same age as Alula, and had gotten into a fight with one of the other wards. They were both drenched in mud and could almost be a part of the scenery. Halt chuckled as he thought back at the boy trying to hide in the bushes until he could sneak to a small stream nearby.

"I'm sure he does," Deidre replied to Alula. Halt pulled himself out of his memory, a smile twitching at the corners of his mouth. Will noticed and Furrowed his brows. Halt smiles more now, he noted.

At the mentioning of his name, a large white tiger appeared from behind the trees. He let out a low chuff and a series of chitters that sounded strangely musical. It was almost like he was telling a story. A long one.

Deidre smiled and stood up from her cooking. She knew Ra'Ja had missed her as much as she had missed him. Halt, Will and Horace hastily moved out of the away of the now charging tiger. Deidre stood firm and was enveloped in the love and affection through a series of rough kitty kisses and hugs. She turned her head to keep the slobber from going up her nose. If the Ra'ja hadn't been so big the Doctor would have found it a bit comical. Yet, he noticed something he would have to talk to Deidre about at a later time when there were less people about.

"Ra'Ja, you're smothering me!" Deidre grunted as she gave way and fell backwards. She nearly disappeared under all the bulk of the tiger. Muffled sounds came from underneath him and he reluctantly moved off her.

Even through all the excitement, Horaces stomach rumbled loudly. Ra'ja's stomach growled in reply. Everyone burst out in laughter. It seemed Horace found his soulmate lover of food.

"Deidre, the meat is burning!" Lilly exclaimed as she hastily flipped the strips over with bare fingers. She winced as the drippings spat on her hand and pulled back.

The Doctor rushed over to Lilly who was now sucking on burned fingers. He gently pried Lilly's hand from her mouth to look at the burns. Turning her hand from side to side the Doctor saw the burn was minor. Tears had formed in her eyes but did not fall.

"You're alright Lilly, The burn isn't bad." The Doctor's gentle voice encouraged a smile from Lilly's lips. She nodded her head and flexed her fingers, wincing a bit.

Deidre gestured to a pot of fresh, cool, spring water not to far from the fire. Lilly gingerly put her hand in the pot and sighed. Though the burn was minor she still felt pain. The travelers looked in concern for the girl.

The food was ready and divided out amongst the travelers. Horace nearly inhaled the elk with sips of coffee in between bites. Ra'ja chittered in complaint at his meager share, something about having a large and very empty stomach. The Doctor didn't quite catch the whole stream of complaint.

Night fell swiftly casting shadows in the clearing where everyone prepared to sleep. Alula had since taken a dip in a stream not to far from the camp and looked more like a little girl. She snuggled up next to Ra'ja stroking his soft fur. Will and Halt both curled up in their cloaks, breathing deeply, while Horace tossed and turned trying to find a more comfortable position. The young Dragon Rider in training had unroled a bundle of blankets inside one of the tents. She climbed into the role and was asleep almost instantly. Luke had crawled into a tent and collapsed on a bed roll, some minutes earlier. The Dragon Egg glowed slightly.

Only Deidre and the Doctor were still up. They both sat around the dying fire in silence. The Doctor looked at Deidre as she poked the embers with a stick. He was trying to gather his thoughts together in hopes that he would be able to word a question he had for her. His mouth opened then closed again.

"You might as well tell me what's on your mind Doctor. You've been staring at me oddly since Ra'ja came into the clearing." Deidre didn't look up from her stick. The embers spat and popped, trying to find more fuel to burn.

It took the Doctor a second to speak. "I notice earlier that your eyes changed color when your tiger jumped on you. But it was more than just changing color, they glowed." He twiddled his thumbs and looked down. Unsure of how she would take this observation. The silence seemed to stretch on for many minutes before Deidre finally spoke.

"You wonder if I am human." She said. She knew the Doctor was not what he seemed to be as he had suspected the same of her. "And you would be right. I am not." She accepted his curiosity.

Even more questions popped into the Doctor's head and he didn't know where to start. He decided to wait for her to explain further. She took a deep breath and held it for a few seconds. A sigh escaped from her lips.

"I'm not originally from this world." She paused, struggling to find the words. "I travel through the space in between spaces. I'm a guardian of worlds, and keeper of balance in a way. The Fates decide where I go, but leave the balancing to me. It can be rather frustrating at times. Especially when I don't have all the information needed. I've been here for several hundred years and in all that time I haven't been able to find the balance, until a few weeks ago. Luke is the key to ending the chaos of this world."

The Doctor thought about what she had said. He'd heard of the Fates, though they went by many names. He figured she was about as old as he was, but she wasn't a Time Lord. It was also news to him that someone could travel in the space between spaces, and he wanted to know how it worked.

Halt, though wrapped up in his cloak, had not been fully asleep. As part of a Rangers training one is taught to breath in such a was to to make others think you were asleep. He had heard bits and pieces of the conversation between Deidre and the Doctor. With all that had happened he wasn't really surprised that Deidre wasn't human. He did wonder what she was though.

"I've said enough for now," Deidre stood and stretched. "We need to rest, tomorrow is a big day." She moved to a vacant tent and lay down, feet sticking out of the flaps. The Doctor remained by the nearly dead embers, his hand stroking his chin.


End file.
